Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Men's triathlon event postponed due to high levels of pollution in the Seine River
Continuous rain in Paris has prevented the Austerlizt basin from properly purifying and releasing water to reduce the presence of E. coli bacteria in the river.
Paris Mayor Anne Hildalgo swims in the Seine.
Some of the fears of Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizers are coming true. Rain has been falling on the French capital for several days and forecasts call for thunderstorms this Tuesday. All of this causes an increase of pollution in the waters of the Seine River, above the thresholds designated as safe for water sports events.
For this reason,the organizers of the summer games have decided to postpone the men's triathlon event that was scheduled for this Tuesday. Just this Monday, training was canceled for the same reasons.
The games organizers expect the water quality of the Seine River to improve in the coming days, during which the weather forecast indicates that temperatures will rise and it will stop raining. This dry weather favors the functioning of the Seine's water purification system and reduces its pollution.
If this happens, the men's triathlon can be held on Wednesday. The women's competition is also scheduled for that day, but both will only go ahead if water tests show acceptable levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the river. If that is not the case, both competitions would have a backup date on which to be held: Friday.
These delays come despite the fact that municipal authorities and organizers were very confident that the bacteria levels in the Seine River would be adequate for the sports competitions. A few days before the start of the Games, French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera and, somewhat later, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river to promote their agenda.
Last week, it was leaked that when Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the Seine, bacteria levels were above what is advised as safe for Olympic athletes.
Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 bacterial colony units per 100 milliliters determined by European standards.
The public water control authority Eau de Paris publishes the data every Friday, but it is only updated up to the previous Tuesday. Aurelie Merle, Paris 2024's sports director, told AP that one of the four testing sites was below the E. coli threshold on Tuesday morning. Two other sites were just above the limit and one was higher, she said, citing a range of 980 to 1,553.
Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but others can be dangerous. A sip of contaminated water can cause diarrhea and cause urinary tract or intestinal infections.
The Austerlitz basin, the latest pharaonic work in Paris
With an investment of more than 1.5 billion, the Austerlitz basin is the underground construction that allows the evacuation and purification of the waters of the Seine River to improve its quality.
As explained by the City of Paris, the Austerlitz basin (50,000 cubic meters in volume) prevents wastewater from being discharged into the Seine. Thanks to the Austerlitz basin, the floodgates will now be opened for the heaviest rains, i.e. an average of twice a year, compared to the current ten to fifteen times. This will make it easier for people to swim.
However, the rains have been more frequent than expected for a summer season in Paris, which has prevented the waters from draining effectively.
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